Beverage maker



Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to beverage makers, of the type adapted for use in an open type outer vessel of liquid, and -is a continuation in part of the invention disclosed in my prior co-pending United States patent application, Serial number 122,910, being of the third modification thereof illustrated in Figure l thereof, Said Aprior application modication comprises a substantially unitary sealed cup-shaped maker, having a removable 1frictionally vsecured 'cup-shaped cover thereon, an internal inverted funnel for a floor of the first cup, extract ports in the lower wall porti-on of the rst cup, la removable filter screen in that rst cup above the extract ports and for holding the beverage material thereon, a plurality of small exhaust ports formed in the upper wall of the iirst cup below its upper ledge and -above the extract ports, with sai-d cover having a downwardly extending outer collar portion in spaced relationship from an-d extending below the outside of said exhaust ports, -a single restricted air-escape port 4in the upper part of said cover, and with the tube of the inverted funnel and the ports and other parts being so constructed so that heat application to the under floor of the outer vessel will cause two-'directional liquid circulation or flush-ing of the beverage material within the maker, all as further explained and deiined in said co-pending application. I have found it more practical to eliminate the airescape por-t in the cover entirely, and have periected a single ring-type exhaust and air-escape port combined, with thel ring-type port being constantly open by a novel relationship between such a cover and the top edge of the rst cup. Instead of ffrictionally mounting said removable cover on the top edge of the first cup, I'Irictionally secure by a novel nger-snap friction securing means cooperating withV the top of thecentrally located funn-e1 or percolation tube; By this construction I have done away with the need for a separate uppermost air-escape port to perm-it an early start of the percolation operation, and have utilized the top edge of the lower cup in making my novel ring-type constantly open single port, eliminating the need kfor forming separate exhaust ports or holes adjacent the top of the first cup.

It is there-fore a principal object of this invention to rconstruct such a 'beverage maker with a novel single constantly open ring-port adjacent the top edge of the lower cup.

Another principalobject is to providesuch a ring-port construction cooper-ating with the downwardly extending outer collar of the normally stationary and removably heldcover.

Another object of this invention is to construct such a maker having such a removable cover normally frictionally held by a novel ringersnap securing means.

Another obj-ect is to construct such a maker having .such finger-snap securing means in association with the top of the percolation tube.`

Another object is the provision of such a maker with a single constantly an-d ixe'dly open ring port,removable cover and compression chamber under the :cover combination, with said ring-port positioned .adjacent the top lof the compression chamber, whereby to .permit two-directional liquid flow, yfrom and into the maker, respectively, upon operational use thereof.

Another object is to provide such a type beverage maker of practical, simplified and economicalconstruction Other and further objects will be apparent from the detailed description herein and .from the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of this embodiment :or continuation of my novel 'beverage maker, illustrated as in use in a small outer vessel having a shallow vdepth of liquid therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional vertical view of said maker havin-g the featuresL of this invention and illustrated as in use in a large-r outer vessel having a deeper vliquid depth therein suilicient'ly to completely cover my said maker, showing the liquid before the start of percolation opera-tion.

In the drawings, in which like references have been used to designate like or similar parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral 20 has been used' to designate my novel maker unit generally. I provide-aY cup-like member 2l, and instead of having that member formed with an integral inverted funnel-like floor, I make the floor portion 22 thereof slightly convex. A plurality of extract ports 24 are formed in that floor, as illustrated. I provide a central opening 23 in the floor, and a tube' binds a lower conical member 25 to and below that floor, by the tube being rigidly secured through the opening 23, and a corresponding opening in member 25, to extend said openings to adjacent thetop edge l2 of the cup 2|. I form the lower portion of tube 8 with a reduced neck 8a so that the shoulder formed adjacent the neck, asillustrated, binds the floor 22 and the conical member 25 together between a pair of washers, by tightly crimping the lower extended portion of. theneck most of said washers below cone 25. Cone 25 has cone member 25, formed, as illustrated, to project downwardly equi-distant from the rim 21, so that the unit 20 will rest on said bosses 28 and thereby the lower rim 21 is spacedly held above the floor of the outer vessel. Said space, between the fioor of the outer vessel and the lower cone rim 21, is provided to permit a sufficient liquid flow from the outer Vessel to enter heater chamber H to satisfy the maximum percolation flow requirement of liquid up tube 8 during percolation use of the maker upon heat being applied to the under fioor of the outer vessel. A disc filter element I5, designed to slidably, snugly and removably fit over and around tube E, is provided of sufficient outer diameter to extend horizontally over and beyond extract ports 24, to effect a contact seal with the sloping fioor 22, being designed to hold the beverage material, such as coffee grounds G, on the top side thereof. It will be noted that this floor and filter construction provides a communicating lower space between the inner part of the floor and the filter in communication with each port, thus providing for free liquid extract circulation therebetween. I construct filter I5 of an inner U-shaped ring I5a, an

outer U-shaped ring I5b, and between those s rings I secure, as by crimping the U-shaped rings, a fine mesh filter screen wire I5c, rigidly, forming a fiat unitary disc.

As in the parent application hereto, I provide a removable cover, frictionally held on the cup. In

this modification I provide a dome-shaped cover I3, having an outer horizontal peripheral shoulder I4, and an outer restrictively spaced and downwardly extending collar I3a, frictionally normally stationarily removably held to cup 2I in a novel manner. The collar I3a is formed so that its interior is restrictively spaced about 10/1000 to 15/1000 of an inch, for the average home size maker, away from the outer upper vertical wall of the cup 2I. Said space, designated as 251,

comprises my single annular or ring-type port. So that the cover does not rest with its shoulder I4 on the upper edge of cup 2 I, and thereby close said port 29, I form a plurality of spacer bosses 40 on the under side of shoulder portion I4,

designed to project downwardly a uniform distance, as illustrated. The said bosses rest on the top edge I2, and thereby hold the covei' shoulder portion a spaced distance at all times above that edge I2. between the under side of I4 and top edge of I2 sufIiciently large, commensurate with the size of the ring port 29, to permit freedom of communication between the compression chamber C, under the cover, and said ring port 29. In the construction of the cover I3, I suitably mount a handle above the cover, as by providing a central hole in the top portion thereof and mounting a suitable handle, as by extending a stud screw bolt 45 upwardly through the hole, with the head 41 on the under side of the cover so as to sealingly close the hole with that head, and extending the bolt through a spacer tube 4S. A nonheat-conducting handle 33 has a lower internally threaded central opening, adapted to receive the bolt 413 Bosses 4|] create an opening or space LEI.'

4 threadedly inserted therein. Bolt 46 binds the tube 48 between the cover I3 and handle 33, thereby forming a rigid unit, as illustrated, upon bolt 46 being tightly seated into the handle opening. I frictionally secure the cover I3 onto the cup 2| by a spring-tensioned finger snap-on collar unit, indicated generally as 4I, whereby the cover may be manually removed when desired. Collar 4I is suitably constructed, as from a tube, having an inwardly extending horizontal portion having an opening of the same diameter as and adapted to receive the bolt 4B therethrough. Before assembly of the handle, bolt 46 is first inserted through that opening of the finger collar 4I, as illustrated, and then the said bolt is inserted upwardly through the hole in the cover, tube 48 and then into the handle. Screw seating of the bolt into the handle thus binds the collar 4I rigidly to and as a part of the rigid cover unit, I3-4 I-4G-48-33. I form the collar finger unit 4I from a tube, forming several corresponding vertical spaces 45 therein, for a portion of its height, as illustrated, thus forming fingers 42 therebetween and equi-distantly spaced apart in the horizontal plane thereof. I construct the finger unit 4I, with its inner diameter slightly larger than the cuter diameter of percolation tube 8, so that the former will fit slidably and snugly thereover. This finger collar unit 4I construction provides an inherent outwardly resisting spring tension to the fingers 42. A horizontal annular groove 43 is formed on the exterior of percolation tube 8, adjacent the top thereof. At the lower end of each finger 42, I form an inwardly projecting ridge 44 and an outwardly flared guide portion just therebelow, with each of said ridges thereof being formed of identical radius with the radius of the groove 43 on tube 8. Ridges 44 of each finger 42 are formed in horizontal alignment with each other. Groove 43, of tube 8, is vertically positioned with relation to finger ridges 44, when the cover I3 is placed on the cup 2I with bosses 40 resting on edge I2 of the cup, so that said groove 43 will be in exact horizontal alignment with said ridges 44. It will thus be seen that ridge 44, of each finger 42, extends inwardly a distance equal to the radius of said groove 43, thereby resulting in a horizontal diametrical distance, between the inward extended circle of opposing finger ridges, which is less than the outer diameter of the tube 8. As a result, when the fingers 42 are pushed downwardly over the top of tube 8, each finger is flexed outwardly, against its inherent spring tension, by its ridge riding over the outside of the tube until the finger ridges come into alignment with the tube groove 43. Said cover unit is designed so that the ridges 44, of said fingers, come into alignment with tube groove 43, and the tension of those fingers 42 then snap each ridge into the tube groove 43, when the under edges of the cover bosses 40 rest on the top edge I2 of the member 2I. Said snap-on collar-finger unit 4I acts as means for removably securing the cover to the cup, with the bosses 40 assuring that said ring port 23 is constantly open. rIhe inherent outwardly resisting tension of the fingers 42 is sufficient to prevent any percolation pressure, formed under cover I3 during operation, from pulling finger ridges 44 out of tube groove 43. The @over I3 is adapted for manual removal from the cup 2 I, by an upward pressure being exerted through handle 33 sufficiently to cause the fingers 42 to spread their ridges out of groove 43, until said ridges 44 clear the top of tube 8. I preferably construct the finger collar unit 4I with' threezof the fingers 42. It is to be noted that in forming the cut-out portions 45, of the` collar snap-on unit 4|, in forming the fingers 42, as described, I make the cut-out space 45. of 'sufcient vertical height or size so that eachof said spaces'extends above the top of tube 8 when the cover unit is in place, as illustrated in Figure 2, so as. to permit free percolation liquid from tube 8 to` enter the underside of the cover compression' chamber C.

I will now explain the operation of thismodification of my novel beverage maker unit. The cover unit is removed from the cup 2l, andnafter the iilter disc l5 is in place vas illustrated, andif coffee is to be made, for example, then approximately one level teaspoon of fine grounds, per cup of liquid used in the outer vessel 2,.is placed on the lter l5 withinv the unit, and the cover is replaced. Then the handle-33 isgrasped and the entire unit 20 is pressed downwardlyinto'the .1

liquid of the outer vessel until the legs 28a-est on the floor of that vessel. In Figure 2 I have illustrated such an outer vessel having water, of less than about 1'70 degrees temperature, therein'ofy a depth to completely cover the unit 20 after the latter is fully inserted intothe outer vessel. 2 and rests on the floor thereof. As the unit 2B isinserted downwardly into the water of the outer vessel, the air within the unit 20, below the level of the lower edge of the cover collar l3a escapes out the top ring port 29, as the water enters tube 8 and extract ports 24. It is to be noted'that I construct the lower cone member 25 of extra heavy material, for the reason that same acts as a ballast to keep the unit 20 upright and -ton'xore than counter-balance the buoyancy effect ofany momentarily unreleased air within theunit. The spacer bosses 4l! act to assure'that the ring port 29 is held open despite the downward thrust pressure exerted on the handle 33. Before the start b.

of percolation, assuming, as in Figurer2, that the water level of the outer vesselis deeper than the height of the unit 2'0, after the initial insertionof the maker 20 into such water, the water will tend to seek a level point within the maker commensurate with the counterbalancing weight of the L- displaced water in the outerv vessel, but never higher than the top edge l2'of the cup 2l; The air left under the topV l3'and above edge l2i will be trapped therein temporarily. I construct my entire maker unit 20 so that the weight thereof is l greater than any possible amount of displaced water, when inserted into water of average size home maker outer vessel of a depthA to approximately midway of the height of the tube 48 of the handle assembly, so as to be ableto remain upright within the water when iirst inserted therein and with the legs 28 resting onA the bottom. I have found it advisable to construct the cone 25, or other lower portion ofthe unit, with a counterbalancing weight or material, so that during percolation operation, when maximum continued percolation takes place with its steam vapor accumulation within the unit in compression chamber C, any steam accumulation buoyancy'eilect caused thereby will not lift the unit and its legs 28 off of the lower outer vessel floor, and so thatit will remain in place within the outer ves-sel'at all times and maximum percolation operation be permitted, as will be explained further.. After the maker unit isplaced within the water of the outer vessel, and heat applied by a suitable heater element to the floor of the outer vessel, heated water collects momentarily under cone 25 heater chamber H until it rises therefrom up percolation tube 8, as will be understood. As that heated waterrises' upi'the" tube 8, a now of waterfoccurs fromthe outer vesselunderz lower rim'lof cone 25` into chamber H. The'heated water is discharged from'the top, ofr tube 8; andalsolater steam vapor,. into the compression chamber C. The'latter chamber` extends upwardly` underk I3 from a lower point as defined by thelower: extremity of horizontal collar I3a. If the outer' vessel has water therein above'the loweredge of collar I3athe initial start of percolationxoccurs whenA the percolation pressurecaused' by' the heated water within'H hasv reacheda stage when said percolation pressure is greater than the weight of saidouter vessel water abovesaidlower edgeof collar I3a. Collar 13a hasiseveralzfunctions, one being tohelp determine the startet percolation, asjustexplained. Whenv the outer lvesselwater levelis-abovethe lower edge oicollar 43a., asin Figure 2, `upon a commencement of percolation, the percolation water builds lupwithin compression chamber C and replaces the air trapped within. that chamber above: theY lower edge of collar I3ia by forcing it outring-port 2S. Thereafter continued percolatiion water and steam entering compression chamberv C'from `the top of tube 8 cannot escape fast enough out Vringport 2!! to compensate for the percolation/intake, and thereupon a percolation pressure` or compression is formed within the compression cham- *H under cone 25rim 2l. During continuedpercolation operation the formation of steam; inceases and is discharged fromthe top of tube 8, together withdischarge of heated water'therefrom, which stagel is called maximum1percolation'operation, andin such stage steamfaccumulates Within-compression chambery C and' causes a lowering of thewater level thereinto a horizontal level pointl even with. theA lower edgeof l3'a of` cover I3, at Whichpointrthat steam .pressure Aismomentarilyr discharged out ring portl 29. Upon .such steam discharge the water level withinunit 20- will be raised slightly due to a reverse now of water from the outer vessel into the unit, causedby thedisplacement weightxof the'water of the outer vesselthenzabove the lower edge'v of collar i3d and which weight is in excessof the percolation continued intake pressure'within y,the unit; During that'interval or stagerof reverse ow, water enters the unit 202through`both;the ringport i2!!` and also through the. extract ports 24, and said reverse flow continues'until the continued percolation pressurev compensates.y and exceeds that reverse iiow pressure. It willthusbe seen that the lower-collar l'a'lower edgefextends downwardly,y from vthe shoulder point I4, the more such reverse ow occurs atxthatl stage point, for the reason that same causes water to be: displacedinthe outer vessel before-said'steam-discharge canfoccur. kA small sized vertical collar i3d will cause little displacement, asiust explained, and ka large sizedvertical collar will cause a greater displacement, with directly proportional reverse flow, respectively.

When the maker is placed in water of. a-suiiicientl depthto. cover it, in the -flrst instance an air-lock occurs therein. It is to be borne in mind that there are two main chambers: the first is the heater chamber below the cone 25; and the other is the compression or pressure chamber Within the maker and under the cover. The lat-- ter chamber, or pressure action, takes place within the upper part of the interior of the maker. The lower part of the interior of the maker could be called the brewing portion of that chamber. The rst occurring air-lock, just previously mentioned, will remain until enough percolation pressure has been formed within said compressionbrewing chamber, from the steam Vapor or hot water being generated by the heating unit at the base of the maker, to break it. At that time percolation starts. The amount of pressure necessary to force or break that air-lock is dependent upon the height of the water in the outer vessel above the point of the lower edge of the collar I3a of the lid, which is the vent ring-port outr let point. It is therefore obvious that the pressure formed above that ring-port vent outlet point is in direct relation to the height of the water in the outer vessel above that point or vent outlet. That height of water above said vent outlet point, in normal use, with an average size home maker and its outer vessel, is usually not over about three inches in depth thereabove, which represents about two ounces in weight. In such water depth, assuming operation is starting to take place, the air within the compression-brewing chamber is entirely eliminated, by being displaced by percolated water, and the maker is entirely submerged. It will be readily seen that no air can enter the maker from the exterior thereof at this stage, and that the interior of the maker will become filled with either or both steam vapor and hot water. In fact, at this stage, hot water, vapor and steam are all entering the compression or brewing chamber from the top of the percolating tube 8. The water entering that chamber falls down on the beverage material G, which has been placed on the filter l5, The hot water, vapor and steam, as the case may be, or any one or more of them,

formed within the maker, causes the water accuf mulating over the material G to lower through that material and out extract ports 24. Vapor or steam accumulating above the water within the maker will exert a pressure over the entire face of that water, and also over the entire surface of the compression chamber thereabove. If that pressure is too great, it will form in the tube and tend to stifle continued percolation. It is obvious, therefore, that the amount of steam vapor and hot water accumulating in the comv pression chamber from tube 8 must never be great enough to interfere with the proper continued percolation of water up the tube into the compression-brewing chamber C. To assure such, I provide for a proper continuation of the maximum flow possible, from the tube B into the compression-brewing chamber, by preforming the horizontal cross-sectional area of that tube of a certain size with relation to the total escape area of the constantly open ring vent or exhaust port 29. The diameter of that tube and the area of that ring vent port must be formed of proper proportion, with rela-tion to each other, as herein otherwise explained, to permit a rapid start of percolation and also continuation of the initial stages thereof, by permitting sufficient exhaust escape out the ring port, but yet not interfering with that pressure causing the water within the brewing chamber to be forced downwardly through the material G, as hereinafter explained.

Gli

In other words, the amount of steam and vapor accumulated within the compression-brewing chamber must never exceed the total escape area of the ring or vent port 29 enough to interfere with the proper ebulation of water up tube 8 into the compression-brewing chamber, but this statement is not to be construed as meaning that said steam and vapor pressure does not exceed said exhaust port ring escape area. There must be enough excess steam and vapor pressure within said chamber to force the water down through the material G and out extract ports 24 against the weight or pressure of the water in the outer vessel above said extract ports point. It can now be understood that the steam and vapor pressure within said chamber, to so force the water down through G and 24, is of an amount comprising the difference between the total water, steam and vapor pressure accumulating in the compression-brewing chamber and the total thereof which escapes through exhaust ring port 29. In other words, that which does not escape out 29 must be suicient to force the water down through the beverage material G and out 24 against the weight of the surrounding water in the outer Vessel above 24.

Upon the use of my maker 20 in an outer vessel having a shallow water depth therein, or of a water level in the outer vessel below the lower edge of collar i3d at al1 times during operation of my maker, such reverse iioW of water from the outer vessel, last described as occurring when that water level in the outer vessel is above that lower edge of collar I3a, will not occur. Continuous percolation operation, with such outer vessel water depth, will cause one-directional extract flow out ports 24, since a steam exhaust, previously explained, out ring port 29, will not cause any displacement of water in the outer vessel when that exhaust occurs out port 29. In such case, since there is no water in that outer vessel above the level of the lower edge of collar 13a which may be displaced, and, since such a displacement is the cause of such reverse fiowing operation, no reverse flow would occur. While such a steam exhaust out ring-port 29 does occur, upon maximum percolation operation previously explained with the water level in the outer vessel of a depth or level below the lower edge of collar |3a, some of the water within the maker will nevertheless thereafter continue to be forced downwardly and out the extract ports 24 in a one-directional percolation continuous flow operation.

It is to be noted that I construct the maximum, or overall, horizontal cross-sectional escape area of my novel ring-port 29, between the inside of collar I3a and the outside vertical wall of the cup 2|, of an area less than the horizontal cross-sectional area of percolation tube 8. That results in full percolation operation causing more percolation vapor and water volume to enter chamber C than is able to be discharged or exhausted out said ring port 29. That construction causes a part of said volume, in the form of water, to be forced downwardly through the grounds and out screen I5 and extract ports 24 as its only other avenue of escape. Extract ports 24 have a combined area greater than the horizontal cross-sectional area of tube 8. I have spoken of the outer vessel 2 being an open-type vessel, and by that is meant one having free communication with the surrounding air pressure.

It will thus be seen tha-t, in this modification of my novel beverage maker, I provide a novel 9 frictionally.heldreinovable cover, together with` a novelringportalways held fixedly open, and .1n association `'with that vcover construction, as the Only single escape port, other than the extracty Dort, forthe beverage maker. I-t is further to be noted in connection with the .operation of my novel maker, heretofore explained, that the operation :there explained was when the maker is used in the preferred manner, namely by starting the oper-ation with Water taken 4`from the hot water faucet of an average hot water temperature of Vnot over about 170 degrees. Starting the operational use of my maker with such temperature water in the outer vessel 2 results in the desired resultant coffee being made of suiicient average strength before all of the surrounding water in the vessel 2 commences to boil, and so the maker is usually removed from that outer vessel before that boiling point is reached. Should,` however, my miker 2t be used'with or left in boilingiwater, for any appreciable length of time, such boiling water will produce a unique action by the maker 20. In suchcase the maker 2D will alternately first riseor iloat inthe outer vessel andthen lower tothe floor, repeating that action for a time, and then ultimately it will rise to the top-of the liquid .or float and remain there, if the water in the outer vessel is of a ,depth substantially to coverfring port 29 or well above the point of my extract ponts 2-5 when the maker rests on the oor of the outer vessel. That so-called alternate floating of my maker, upon such boiling of the water in the outer vessel, will. now briefly be explained. Boiling produces, ultimately, an

excess or greater amount of steam within chamg ber C than can escape out the ring port 29. That results in causing the water within the maker 2! to be lowered completely by thesteam and exhausted by the steam out the lower extract ports 2t, by all of the water within the maker being forced out said ports 24. That-effects a bouyancy Within the unit which raises it off of the floor of the outer vessel, causing it to float momentarily with is cone well above the floor of the outer vessel. In .such initial elevational iioating of the unit, last explained, percolation stops and the steam within the unit is cooled and condenses, and a vacuum is for-med thereby which in turn causes water from the outer vessel to reenter the unit 20, through .ports 29, 24 and tube 8, thus Q causing a quick return of the unit down into the water and onto the -floor .of the outer vessel. Thereupon percolation is resumed, and the floating operation just explained repeats, and said cycle continues until the boiling reaches that high speed where percolation of steam into chamber C occurs even when the maker is uppermost or iloating. At the lattervstage the maker then stays in a oating position, because it is lled with steam faster than the steam can be discharged. When the operator discovers such a boiling and oating of the unit, just described, the heater element below the floor of the outer vessel will then be either turned off 0r removed, or the maker removed from the outer vessel. Ordinarily suiiicient strength coffee will have been made long before such continuously iloating stage of the maker is reached. The overall escape area of ring-port 29 will, to a large degree, determine the point when such a boiling will cause such iloating, just described. The larger that escape area the longer before such iloating will start, upon boiling point being reached, and conversely. On the other hand, as will be understood from the prior explanation of the operation startl0 ing with temperate non-boiling water in the outer vessel, too large a ring-.port 29 escape area will slow up the initial lpercolation operation.

Having thus illustrated and explained a preferred embodiment of this modication of my maker unit in detail, .and-since many changes may be made therein without deviating in the scope'thereof, it is to be understood that I wish to beliinitedin the denition, spirit and scope of `my invention .only by and wit-hin the definition of thek hereunto appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. In combination with an outer larger open type `vessel .of liquid, .a pressure beverage maker inserted into and resting on the floor of said vessel Lhaving heat applied to said floor, comprising ar non-porous unitary member having a top, side wall and ,bottom component parts, said bottom having an opening and conically dened heater chamber-below the opening, ktube means extending the opening upwardly within the maker to a point adjacent its top, dwarf leg means associated with the bottom for spacedly holding the heater chamber oit the floor of the vessel, an extract port formed in the outer surface of the maker adjacent its lower yportion and above the heaterchamber, an annular pressure exhaust escape port adjacent the top of the side wall and beingv restricted in over-all escape area in proportion to the horizontal,cross-sectional area of the tube means, the lcombined areas of said ports being larger than said tube means cross-sectional area,.porous lter and beverage material holder means associated with the bottom portion .and positionedwithin the maker below said annular port and abovesaid extract port, one of said top, sidewall andbottom partsfbeing frictionally and removably joined together with relation to another thereof, andmeans for effecting such junctu e. f

I2. in combination with an open type largerdiameter outer vessel having relatively -cool liquid thereinand a heater unit thereunder, an alternatetWo-way flushing beverage maker rested on theflooreof :said vessel with said liquid of suiic-ientdepth to equal the height of the maker and with-heat applied tothe vessel iloor, comprising, a unitary memberv having a non-porous top, side and bottom portions, the bottom portion havinga cone-shapedfheater chamber having a cen- .tral opening therein, spacer means associated with'the lmaker for spacedly holding the heater chamber above vthe floor of the vessel, a tube extending the opening Well up within the member adjacent its top, a porous beverage material holder and lter element associated with the tube and positioned within the maker above said bottom portion, a plurality of extract ports formed in the bottom portion below said material holder-filter and above said heater chamber, the over-all area of said ports being greater than the horizontal cross-sectional area of said tube, a single ring-type pressure exhaust port formed by association between the upper edge of the side and the top portions, said side and top portions being removably secured together, and snap-collar means for effecting said juncture and association of the top and side portions, said single ring port having an exhaust area less than the said cross-sectional area of said tube, the interior of the maker comprising a pressure chamber for eiecting repeated alternate directional liquid iiow through all of said ports 1l before the liquid in the outer vessel reaches boiling temperature.

3. In combination with an outer open type larger-diameter vessel having liquid therein originally of substantially less than boiling temperature and a heater unit thereunder, a pressure beverage maker resting within the vessel and comprising a removable cover and a cup-shaped member', the cup member having a conically shaped heater chamber portion associated with its fioor and a central opening from said chamber through said floor, a tube extending said opening upwardly to adjacent the plane of the top edge oi the member, the cover having an annular downwardly extending vertical flange adapted to surround the exterior of the cup in restricted spaced relationship therefrom, the area within the member and under the cover above the plane of the lower edge of the annular flange of the cover comprising a compression chamber, the space between the inside of the annular flange of the cover and the outside of the adjacent cup comprising a single pressure exhaust ring port when the cover is placed on the cup and having less exhaust area than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the tube, spacer boss means extending from the inner side of the cover and adapted for abutting the top edge of the cup for holding said ring port constantly open when the cover is placed on the cup, friction means for removably securing the cover tightly on the cup with said boss means seated on said edge, extract ports formed adjacent the lower portion of the cup and above said heater chamber portion, means for holding the floor of the maker a spaced distance above the floor of the vessel for permitting free liquid flow into the heater chamber, and a beverage holder and lter removably positioned within the cup above said extract ports and well below the ring port, the combined areas i of the extract ports being greater than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the tube.

4. A beverage brewer comprising an outer open vessel, and a pressure non-boiling beverage maker placed in the vessel a small distance above the floor of the vessel, said vessel having nonboiling liquid therein sufficient to cover the maker and heat applied to the vessel floor, the maker comprising, a cup-shaped member including an inverted funnel-like portion below and associated with the bottom of the cup, the cone portion of the funnel comprising a heater chamber and the tube portion thereof extending upwardly Within the cup to adjacent the plane of the top edge of 12 the cup, extract ports formed in the cup adjacent its lower outer portion and above said heater chamber and of a combined area greater than the horizontal cross-sectional are of the tube portion, 5 filter and beverage holder means within the cup and being positioned above said ports, a removable cover frictionally held over the top of the cup, tension friction means for so holding the cover including means for spacedly holding a poria tion of the cover in fixed annular ring-port relationship with a portion of the top of the cup, said means being associated with the cover and some portion of the cup, said ring-port comprising a pressure exhaust port and being positioned well l5 above said extract ports, and means for holding the maker a small distance above the floor of the vessel, the upper area within the maker, cooperating with the liquid seal resulting from operation of the brewer', comprising compression chamber 2o means for effecting automatic intermittent and alternate liquid flow up and down through the beverage material held by the beverage holderfilter before the liquid reaches a boiling point, said filter-holder means being positioned below 23 the ring-port, said ring-port having a total exhaust escape area which is smaller than the horlzontal cross-sectional area of the tube of the funnel portion.

THOMAS L. TI'IUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

35 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 160,408 Evans Mar. 2, 1875 164,182 Kennedy June 8, 1875 204,995 Place June 18, 1878 o 228,632 Hathaway June 8, 1880 370,827 Stringer Oct. 4, 1887 878,374 Geissler Feb. 4, 1908 1,130,131 Anderson Mar. 2, 1915 1,803,232 Corozyi Apr. 28, 1931 45 1,963,012 Barrett June l2, 1934 2,055,061 Barrett Sept. 22, 1936 2,224,672 Davis Dec. 10, 1940 2,246,061 Nowland June 17, 1941 50 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,074 Great Britain 1891 7,637 Switzerland Dec. 13, 1893 

